RALEIGH, NC—Jason Karmanos, Vice President and Assistant General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has agreed to terms on one-year contracts with forward Ryan Bayda and defensemen Tim Conboy and J.D. Forrest. Bayda will be paid $475,000 at the NHL level or $100,000 at the American Hockey League (AHL) level. Conboy will receive $495,000 at the NHL level or $95,000 at the AHL level. Forrest will be paid $475,000 in the NHL or $50,000 in the AHL.

Bayda, 26, split the 2006-07 season between Albany (AHL) and Carolina, notching one goal and one assist (2 points) in nine NHL contests with the Hurricanes. He ranked first among Albany skaters in goals in 2006-07 with 29 goals in just 55 games. The Saskatoon, Sask., native was third on the team in regular-season scoring with 54 points (29g, 25a) and second in playoff scoring with five points (3g, 2a) in five games. In 284 career regular-season AHL games with Lowell, Manitoba and Albany, Bayda (5’11”, 185 lbs.) has scored 74 goals, earned 125 assists (199 points) and accumulated 269 penalty minutes. Carolina’s second choice, 80th overall, in the third round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Bayda played college hockey at the University of North Dakota and won a national championship in 2000, his first season with the Fighting Sioux. He turned professional following three collegiate seasons and made his NHL debut with Carolina on Feb. 14, 2003, against Washington. In 78 NHL games with the Hurricanes, Bayda has scored eight goals and added 14 assists (22 points).

Conboy, 25, completed his third full professional season in 2006-07, spending the entire season with Albany. He totaled three goals and seven assists (10 points) in 75 games for the River Rats, ranking third among Albany skaters in penalty minutes (163). The Farmington, MN, native has totaled 45 points (13g, 32a) and 421 penalty minutes in 214 career regular season games in the AHL. He made his professional debut during the 2004 Calder Cup Playoffs, tallying three assists in three postseason contests for Cleveland. Conboy (6’2’’, 225 lbs.) was San Jose’s sixth choice, 217th overall, in the seventh round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Prior to turning professional, he spent two seasons at St. Cloud State University of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), notching eight goals and 17 assists (25 points) and 130 penalty minutes in 64 career college hockey games.

Forrest, 26, missed the entire 2006-07 season due to a knee injury. Prior to signing a contract with the Hurricanes in July 2006, he played for Assat Pori of SM-Liiga, the top professional league in Finland in 2005-06. He ranked third among Assat Pori defensemen in scoring with six goals and five assists (11 points) in 43 regular season games and notched four assists in 14 playoff contests. In 2004-05, Forrest played for SaiPa Lappeenranta of SM-Liiga, ranking second among the team’s defensemen in scoring with 19 points (7 goals, 12 assists) in 53 games. Before playing in Europe, Forrest (5’9’’, 185 lbs.) spent four years on the blue line for Boston College of Hockey East, totaling 98 points (24g, 74a) and 122 penalty minutes in 144 career games. The Auburn, NY, native was named to the Hockey East Second All-Star Team and NCAA East Second All-American Team following his junior season with the Eagles. Forrest was part of the United States National Team Developmental Program from 1997 through 2000 and was originally drafted by the Hurricanes in the sixth round (181st overall) of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.